Topic Overview

What is labyrinthitis?

Labyrinthitis (say "lab-uh-rin-THY-tus") is a problem deep inside the inner ear. It happens when the labyrinth, a part of the inner ear that helps control your balance, gets swollen and inflamed.

The inflammation may cause sudden vertigo. This makes you feel like you're spinning or whirling. Labyrinthitis may also cause temporary hearing loss or a ringing sound in your ears.

Your doctor may also call this vestibular neuritis. The two problems have the same symptoms and are treated the same way.

See pictures of the inner ear showing the labyrinth and an inflamed vestibular nerve.

What causes labyrinthitis?

The cause of labyrinthitis is not clear. Labyrinthitis can happen after a viral infection or, more rarely, after an infection caused by bacteria. It is often triggered by an upper respiratory infection, such as the flu or a cold. Less often, it may start after a middle ear infection.

The infection inflames the vestibular nerve. This causes the nerve to send incorrect signals to the brain that the body is moving. But your other senses (such as vision) don't detect the same movement. The confusion in signals can make you feel that the room is spinning or that you have lost your balance (vertigo).

What are the symptoms?

The main symptom of labyrinthitis is vertigo. Vertigo is not the same as feeling dizzy. Dizziness means that you feel unsteady or lightheaded. But vertigo makes you feel like you're spinning or whirling. It may make it hard for you to walk. Symptoms of vertigo and dizziness may be caused by many problems other than labyrinthitis.

With labyrinthitis, the vertigo begins without warning. It often starts 1 to 2 weeks after you've had the flu or a cold. It may be severe enough to make you vomit or make you feel sick to your stomach. Vertigo slowly goes away over a few days to weeks. But for a month or longer, you may still get vertigo symptoms if you suddenly move your head a certain way.

Labyrinthitis may also cause hearing loss and a ringing sound in your ears (tinnitus). Most often, these symptoms don't last for more than a few weeks.

How is labyrinthitis diagnosed?

Your doctor can tell if you have labyrinthitis by doing a physical exam and asking about your symptoms and past health. Your doctor will look for signs of viral infections that can trigger labyrinthitis.